Toy carousel



W. AHLMGREN.

TOY CAROUSEL- APPLICATION FILED JULY3I, 1920.

1,389,926. PatentedSept. 6, 1921.

. ZSHEETS-SHEET l.

W. AHLMGREN.

TOY CAROUSEL.

APPLICATION FILED JuLY3l.

Patented Sept. 6, 192,1.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2- UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

'WALIBORG AHLMGREN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR'OF ONE-THIRD TO HENRY .KARLSON, 0F HASBROUCK HEIGHTS, NEW JERSEY, AND ONE-THIRD TO CHARLES A. BUnsnLL, or NEW YORK, N. Y.

TOY CAROUSEL.

Application filed July 31',

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, VALBORG AHLMGREN, a'resident of the borough of Manhattan, in the county, city, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful linprovements in Toy Carousels, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a roundabout for dolls and it appertains more especially to such merry-go-round devices which are operated by hand power.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a device of the character described with improved means for rotating a figure carrying member.

Another object is the production of a device of the nature set forth including means enabling one or more operators to impart rotation to said member.

A. further object is theprovision in a device of the kind referred to of traveling and relatively stationary elements positively oscillated upon motion of the rotary member.

Still another object is to produce a device of the type specified wherein dolls or other toys may be secured to the lower part of the said rotatable member.

A general object is to supply a device of the species mentioned which shall be simple and strong; conveniently assembled or taken apart for packing in a small space; easily and safely operated without liability of getting out of order; besides, being amenable to low cost of manufacture.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious, and also be brought out more fully in the detailed description hereinafter contained. I

The invention consists in the novel features of construction, parts, combinations and subcombinations of elements herein specified with reference to the accompanying drawings, and recited in the claims herewith appended.

In the said drawings Figure I is an elevational view of this improved doll carousel,parts being broken away and others omitted;

Fig. II is a broken top planview of the device illustrated by the preceding view, the lower parts being omitted; and

Fig. III is a sectional plan taken on the line IIIIII of Fig. I looking down in he Specification of LettersPatent.

Patented Sept. 6, 1921.-

1920. Serial No. 400,471.

direction indicated by the arrows pertaining thereto, parts being omitted.

Referring specifically to the various views of the drawings, the reference numerals 1112 and 13-14. denote respectively, longitudinal and transverse arms mor ised one into the other at their middle parts to constitute a cruciform base A. Into open ings provided at the intersection of these arms and also at or near the extremities of the longer longitudinal arms 11-12, are stepped endwise shouldered uprights 17, 18 and 19. The last named, 19, may be shorter than the two others, 17, 18, which are of the same height and united by a brace 20 spanning their upper ends. This brace and the base A with a central and outboard uprights thereon constitute the stationary members of the structure.

Around the said central member 17, intermediate of the baseand brace aforesaid, is rotatably arranged a member B, composed of top and bottom carriers G and D, maintained at the proper distance apart, as by means of spacer rods or posts 23, having their oxtrernities shouldered to fit into openings provided therefor at the outer portions of the said carriers. As shown, the lower carrier D is made on the order of a disk 24, which has formed near the periphery thereof in offset relation to the upstanding post elements 23, a number of cutouts or openings 25, the purpose whereof will be more fully hereinafter referred to. The upper car ier C is preferably constructed like a four-armed spider having branches 2627 and 2829 mortised together at their central portions. Nevertheless, no limitation is intended in this respect, as either or both of the upper and lower carriers could embody disks or spiders in their structural makeup. The centers of the latter are suitably bored so as to readily revolve around the stationary central upright. 17.

In proximity to the top and bottom faces of the said upper and lower carriers are connected thereto, as by pins or dowels 31, one or more spools 32 and 33 of which the bottom one may be provided with a plurality of cord receiving grooves such as 34 that may be separated by intervening ridges or flanges 35. Vinding one, to the left for instance in the topmost single grooved spool,

the central portions of the grooves.

32, the other right hand, which may be on the upper one of the lower or plural spools, and secured endwise therein, are branches 38, 39 of an operating cord 40. The said. branches of the cord are led through guide openings 41, 42 provided in the taller outboard upright 18, substantially opposite to carrier of the rotatable member B a turn-.

ing motion which can be continued until all or nearly all of thecord has been unwound from the said spool 32. At the same time as this occurred, the outer cord branch 39 kept winding around the upper one of the lower spools 33, by reason of the fact that it was originally wound upon the latter in.

the opposite direction. Now, if the operator commences to exert an outward pulling action upon the cord where it passes the lower guide opening 42, the rotatable 1nember willagain be revolved, but contrary to its first rotary movement, and the cords upper branch 38 will be re-wound ready for another operation. As indicated particularly in Fig. I, the shorter outboard upright 19 is likewise provided with apertures 45, 46, which, however, are spaced closer together and constitute guides for another operating cord 47. The latter has branches 48, 49 wound oppositely around the middle and lowermost grooves 34 of the bottom spool 33' and fill a function corresponding to that of the beforementioned cord 40. Thus it will be seen that two operators can by alternately or simultaneously pulling on the said cords 40 and 47, keep the rotatable member spinning around, first in one direction and then in the other. llhile it appears that the memberB is furnished with one single spool above and'three spools below the same, it is conceivable that two such spools could be placed at the top and bottom of their respective carriers. Furthermore, it is possible to locate all of the spools beneath the lower carrier, or to combine them in some other manner and still obtain the same result as in the structure illustrated.

Sustained from the arms of the upper carrier C, or by some other part of the rotatable member so as to travel therewith, is an oscillatable element E, which may be in the nature of a swing composedof pendants 52 joined at their lower ends by a cross-piece 53/ This swing as shown is flexibly connected, as for example by interengaging eye-screws or screw hooks 54, 55

The

entered into the underside of one of the arms of the top carrier G, as also endwise into the upper extremities of the said pendants 52. A. doll or other appropriate figure F is indicated in'dot and-dash lines, as being seated on the cross-piece '53-, and held in position thereon, as by a string or band 56. The latter is passed through suitable apertures 57 in the pendants 52 and thence around the doll after which its ends are tied together. V p

The means for impartlng oscillatory motion to aswing when the member B is ropair or all of the arms of the upper carrier C could be equipped therewith if so desired.

Another but normally fixed swing G of similar construction asthat before described in conjunction with the rotatable member, is represented on the drawings as supported in offset relation to one of the stationary members, which may bethe central upright 17. As showman arm 61 received by its inner extremity in a suitable seat or opening pertaining to the said upright, reachesout therefrom a certain distance below the crosspiece 53, of the swing E,'so as to clear the lower part of the doll seated thereon. The swing Gis attached to the said arm 60 'in a flexible or jointed manner similar to that of the before described swing E, in order to have a like articulatedconnection insuring for it a positive oscillating movement. This maybe obtained through the :instru mentality of a dog' or obstruction 62, which in the resent instance is traveling with the rotatable member, being as indicated, lodged in a recess provided therefor in one of the posts 23. The said obstruction 62, as will be noted, has its free terminus disposed in a path intersecting the adjacent end of a cross-piece53 pertaining to the swing G. From this arrangement it follows that when the member B is revolved, recurrent impacts are given to the element G which will set. it a-swinging. There may be provided in the upright 17 several openings as'63, so as to admit of the employment of more than one arm with the thereto connected swing. It will be perceived. that the movable and stationary elements E and G are located in vertically spaced or tiered relation to each other and to the lower carrier D, in order that any interference between the articles rearm 61 and the dog 62 respectively, thus also enabling the lower swing G to be carried by and to travel in unison with the rotatable member. In such a case the dog 62 would be held to the upright 17 the same as the upper obstruction 60, so as to function in a like manner. The result of this construction is that the said member B may optionally be made to include one or more sets of swings disposed at different elevations. Moreover, the outboard upright 18 can be provided with a seat 68, which simply may be a hole running slantwise in the same. This seat is adapted to receive the shank part of the arm 61, the outer end of which in that case extends obliquely. Then by causing the dog 62 to project in an outward direction instead of inwardly as shown, it will impact against the cross-piece 53 of the swing G as the member B is revolved.

Preferably, the coupling between the flexibly inter-engaging connections 54, is separable, by reason of which either or both of the swing elements E and G may be removed from their respective supports, and will thereby allow-the member B to rotatably carry dolls or other objects of larger magnitude than otherwise could be accommodated thereon.

As hereinbefore stated, the lower disklike carrier D is formed with recesses or openings 25, which may be of circular or of any other shape. These recesses are provided for the purpose of receiving therein the legs or feet of dolls or analogous figures H, and are designed to prevent them from moving about when the member B is turned upon its axis. These dolls are generally placed with their backs against the spacer posts 18 and held thereto by any suitable securing means. The latter may, in similarity to the fastenings 56 pertaining to the swings E and G, consist of bands 7 O threaded through apertures 71, in the said posts 18, thence passed around the figures thereto appertaining, and tied together at their ends. In order to prevent the bands from being pulled out of their apertures the former are preferably provided at each terminal of the latter with knots or like enlargements 72.

A toy constructed and arranged in accordance with the. foregoing description, can easily be made of wooden strips and dowels,

readily put together or taken apart for shipment, in knock-down condition, and will during its erection and manipulation afford to children of all ages, a source of interest, in an educational sense as well as for amusement purposes, because of its varied forms of motion whereof its constituent elements partake.

It is to beunderstood that the invention herein disclosed is not limited to the precise details of construction shown and described, nor to any particular structural arrangement by which the same may be carried out in practice, as numerous changes, altera tions or modifications, may be effected therein without materially departing from the fundamental principle of the invention or even sacrificing any of its main advantages. The right to make all such changes, alterations, or modifications, is therefore reserved.

Having described my invention what I desire to secure by Letters Patent and claim 1s: Y

1. A device of the character described including a rotatable member, a. fixed member extending parallel therewith, positive means for imparting motion to the former, an oscillatable element carried by saidmember, and abutting means for causing oscillation of said element when the first member is rotated relatively to the second member.

2. A device of the character described including a revoluble member, an instrumentality for actuating the latter, oscillatable elements spaced in vertically offset relation to said member, one element being arranged to travel past the other, and means adapted to impart intermittent oscillatory motion to said elements as the member is revolved.

3. A device of the character described including a fixed member, another member rotatable therearound, mechanism for imparting rotation to said second member, an oscillatable element sustained from the latter, an other oscillatable element supported from said fixed member, said elements being arranged to pass each other, and means carried by each member for causing oscillation of the element of the opposite member upon rotation of the second member.

4. A device of the character described including a revoluble member, another member centrally fixed with relation to the former, means for imparting motion to the member first named, a swing carried by said fixed member, and a laterally projecting obstruction on said revoluble member adapted to strike said swing when passing the same and thereby cause it to oscillate.

5. A device of the character described including a fixed member, another member rotatable relatively thereto, mechanical means for imparting positive rotation to said other member, a swing traveling with the rotary member, and an obstruction intermediate of said fixed member and said swing against which the latter is'adapted to strike during its travel-whereby oscillation is imparted thereto.- V

' 6. A device of the'charaoter described ineluding a member having a carrier, a fixed member around which the former isrevoluble, sup-porting means extending fromsaid fixed member, swings suspendedifromsaid carrier and said means, obstructions projecting from both members adapted to be struck by and to strike'said swings to cause them to oscillate, and an instrumentality for re volving the first named member, 7. A device of the character described in-Q eluding a fixed upright, a member rotatable therearound composed of carriers with spac ers therebetween, means for rotating said member, an arm extending out from said upright, swings flexibly connected to the upper one of said carriers and to saidarm, and dogs carried by the upright and one of said spacers in the path of said swings adapted to impart oscillatory motion thereto upon rotation of the member.

8; A device of the character described including a revoluble member, a supporting element rising therefrom, said member having a cutout portion'offset inwardly from said element, means for holding the upper part of a doll to the element while the lower part thereof is received in said portion, and an instrumentality for revolubly actuating the member.

9. A device of the character described including a base, an upright fixed thereon, a member rotatable about said upright, a spool also revoluble around the same inter posed between said base and said member being connected to the latter, and band-like means having branches secured endwise to said spool, said means being continuous and ing branches wound therearound in opposite directions, whereby alternate pulllng on the latter will revolve said second memberfirst one way and then the other. V i

11; A device. of the character described including abase, fixed upright-s thereon, a brace between the upper ends of said up rights; a membercomposed of spaced carriers rotatablev around one of the uprights; spools interposed between said brace, :said base and the upper and lower carriers respectively connected up with the latter and a cord having branches guided in the other one'of the uprights winding separately "right and left-hand on said spools, solthat pulling alternately on said branches will impart ro- I tation tosaid member in opposite directions 12. A device of the character described including a base, a substantially central upright fixed thereon, another stationary up.- right on said base oil'setfrom the one first namedand provided with a guide, a carrier rotatable about said central upright, aspool revolubly supporting said'carrier over the base, and a carrier-operating cord passed through *said guide and having branches wound right and left around said, spool. F

WALBORG AHLMGREN. 

